Here's another US example of program similar to Bikes Welcome, with added benefits for bike users. Read the article here: How you can get free beer and food discounts just by riding your bike - CharlotteFive Or check out the US's Bicycle Benefits program here

What do the Village People have to do with Bikes Welcome? New Zealand is a collection of villages. Sometimes we are good at looking beyond the boundaries of our village, and sometimes we aren't. When it comes to biking, most of the challenges we face on a daily basis are local, so we look for local solutions. Bikes Welcome will be a local solution. To get Bikes Welcome up and running we need to share the costs among our villages, hence the Pledge Me campaign.

Is bike parking the 'canary in the mine' when it comes to gauging how our local authorities view bike use: whether they see cycling as sport and recreation or a transport mode for everyday activities? Are we missing an opportunity to change behaviour and realise the benefits?